Glass cutter



Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE GLASS CUTTER.

William Bierman, New York, N. Y. Application May 1s, 1940, serial No. 335,469

(ci. 1s-4s) 6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to glass cutting devices. More particularly, my invention is' directed to an improved glass cutting device adapted for opening lled ampoules or for cutting any other type of glass tubing.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a glass cutting device of the character described which shall be so designed that the probabilities of splintering or breaking of the glass during the cutting process will be reduced to a minimum.

Another object of my invention is to provide a glass cutting device of the character described which shall be provided with an improved cutting member, so constructedand arranged as to be unaiected by the variations from the normal in the outer surface of the ampoule or glass tube to be cut.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a glass cutting device for opening lled ampoules or for cutting glass tubing provided with novel means for accurately cutting such tubing to required lengths, and which at the same time shall ybe characterized `by its simplicity of construction and its high degree of eciency in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying' drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention, A

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a glass cutting device constructed in accordance with my invention;

2 is an end elevational view thereof, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view, partly sectional, ofl a modified form of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken .substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail of a modified form of my inventionrelating to the mounting for the abrasive element.

Referring now in detail to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is described a type of glass cutting device I0 constructed in accordance with my invention ,and adapted for opening filled ampoules or for cutting glass tubing. The device l0 may be made compact so that it may be conveniently carried in a vest pocket of the physician or other user thereof, and comprises a relatively fiat disc member Il. The said disc Il is made of rigid material and is preferably provided with a triangularly shaped central axial aperture I2 adapted to receive therein a section of glass tubing I3 or the tubular end of an ampoule which it is desired to cut. v'I'lle disc II is also provided with a threaded opening I4 having its axis disposed at right angles to the axis of the aperture I2 and communicating therewith.

In the opening Il there is mounted a cutting element comprising the following construction. A tubular housing member I5 is provided with an externally threaded shank portion I5a which is threadedly received in the threaded opening Il to hold the same in rigid attachment to the disc I I. Axially slidably mounted within the housing I5 is a tubular plunger member I5 which is adapted to project into the aperture I2 through the inner open end of the housing I5. The opposite i end of the housing I5 may be closed oi by a threadedly attached knurled cap I1. Fixedly attached to that end of the plunger I6 which projects into the aperture I2 is a glass scoring or cutting member 20 which may take the form of a diamond or other suitable abrasive member. The member 20 may be mounted directly on the plunger I6 or it may be mounted on an independent plug member 2| threadedly received in the said plunger I5 so as to be more readily removed for repair or replacement. A spring 22 within the plunger I6, having opposite ends thereof pressing against the cap Il and plug 2 I serves to normally resiliently urge the diamond 20 in a direction toward the glass tube I3 within the aperture I2. An outwardly extending flange Ilia on the plunger I6 cooperating with the shoulder I5b of the housing I5 limits the movement of the plunger` I6 in a direction toward the aperture I2.

`It is thus seen from the above described con# struction that when it is desired to open an ampoule or to cut a glass tube it is merely necessary to place the same in the aperture I2 in any selected position. The plunger I5, being spring pressed, will cause the diamond 20 to resiliently press against the outer surface of the glass tube.

If the disc is then axially rotated while the glass tube is held stationary or vice versa the diamond which it is desired to out the tube. The glass tube is then removed from the aperture I2 and pressure applied on either side of the scored circumferential line to break the tube at such line with a clean break, leaving no splinters or rough edges. Should the external surface of the tube I3 possess irregularities. such as depressions or .projections at thepoint of scoring the spring 22 will cause the diamond 20 to accommodate itself to such irregularities and thus prevent breakage of the tube I3.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 I have s hown a modied form of my invention in which the apparatus is adapted to be iixed in position on a table surface and which is particularly suited for the cutting of measured lengths of glass tubing.

In this form of my invention. instead of the disc II, the threaded housing shank I5 is fixedly received in a correspondingly threaded opening 3l of a flange 3I integral with a frame 32.V The frame 32 is rotatably mounted on a sleeve 33 by means of any suitable type of annular ball or roller bearing construction, such for example as the ball bearing unit 35, as shown in Fig. 3. The sleeve 33 is provided with a reduced diameter portion 33a which is frictionally received in a split bearing portion 33, 36' of a support 31 which is adapted to be fixedly attached to a table surface 38 by means of the screws 39. The collar 33 is provided with a triangular shaped axial opening 40, similar in shape and function to that of the aperture I2 in the disc II. An opening 4I is provided in the frame 32, in axial alignment with the sleeve opening 40, so that a glass tube 50 which it is desired to cut may be inserted in the opening 40 of the collar 33 and project beyond the frame 32 to be in position for circumferential scoring by the spring pressed cutting element 20.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, a portion of the wall 33h of the sleeve 33 is cut away for the con venience of insertion of the tube 50. In operating the Figs. 3 to 5 form of my invention, the tube 50 is positioned in the sleeve 33 as shown in Fig. 3, and while the tube .50 is held xed in position with one hand the frame 32 is rotated with the other hand thus causing the diamond mounted thereon to score a circumferential groove in the outer surface of the tube 50 at the point which it is desired to cut the said tube, after which the tube 50 is severed at the scoring point in the manner hereinbefore described.

In order to be able to accurately cut desired lengths of glass tubing, I have provided the fol-v lowing gauging mechanism for use in conjunction with the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

Integral with the support 31 is a longitudinal tubular member 43, parallel to the collar 33 and provided with a non-circular axial opening 44 into which there is slidably mounted a scale member 45 of corresponding cross-sectional contour.

vided to frictionally lock the scale 45 in any selected position.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing, I have illustrated in detail a modified form of v,my invention relating to the mounting of the abrasive element so that the same may be more readily removed and replaced withqut disassembling the device. In this form of my invention the end of the plunger member 60 is provided with an internally threaded portion 6I. Into this threaded portion 6I is threadedly mounted a plug member B2. The plug member 62 ls provided with an axial opening 53 adapted to receive therethrough and to project outwardly beyond the plug 62, an abrasive member 54 made of any suitable material which will satisfactorily provide a circumferential score on the glass tube to be cut. The abrasive member 54 is provided with an outwardly extending flange The scale member is suitably marked to measure l length and is provided at one end thereof with a portion 46' disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the scale and so arranged as to have the upper end thereof disposed in the path of sliding movement ofthe said tube 50. One end 43a of the tubular member 43 terminates in exact alignment with the diamond 20, so that the distance from the inner surface 46a of the arm 45 to the point of the diamond 20 will equal the distance from the said arm surface 46a to the extreme edge of the portion 43a of the member 43. It is therefore seen that if it is desired to cut a glass tube length of one inch, it is merely necessary to ilrst slidably move the gauge 45 until the numeral one is exactly aligned with the edge of the member portion 43 (see Fig. 3) and then slidably move the tube 50 until the end thereof abutsthe arm 46. A set screw 52 is pro- 65, larger than the opening 63 and interposed between the plug 62 and the plunger El, which holds the said abrasive member 64 captive. The same type of spring 22 is employed Within the plunger 60.

It isV thus seen that when the tip of the abrasive member 64 becomes dulled, it is merely necessary to unscrew the plug 62 and to readily remove and replace the abrasive member $4.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this inven- 'tion are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of` practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a glass tube cutting device of the character described, the combination of a plunger member, a housing for said plunger member, an abrasive member provided with an outwardly extending iian'ge, means for removably mounting said abrasive member on said plunger member for movement therewith, said last named means comprising a plug member provided with an opening and removably attached to said plunger member, said abrasive member being received within said opening and projecting therethrough and said flange overlying the inner end of said plug member to hold the said abrasive member captively in place, means for supporting said glass tube, and means for normally resiliently urging said plunger member in a direction toward said glass tube so as to cause the abrasive member to contactively engage the outer surface of said glass tube.

2. In a glass tube cutting device of the character described, means for supporting a glass tube, a housing adjustably mounted relative to said support for movement to and away from said tube, a plunger slidably mounted in said said support for movement to and away from said tube, a plunger sildably mounted in said housing, resilient means associated with said plunger and said housing and bodily movable with said housing to resiliently urge said plunger toward said glass tube, a single manually manipu-s latable member carried by said housing to vary the position of said housing relative to said tube and to vary the resilient pressure of said resilient means, and an abrasive member carried by said plunger.

4. In a glass tube cutting device of the character described, means for supporting a glass tube, an open-ended exteriorly threaded housing threadably mounted in said support for movement to and away from said glass tube. a plunger slidably mounted in said housing for movement to and away from saidglass tube, one end of said plunger projecting through an open end of said housing, the other end of said housing being closed by a cap threadably received thereon, a spring compressed between said cap and said plunger whereby to urge said plunger resiliently toward said glass tube, and an abrasive member carried at the end of said plunger adjacent said glass tube. v

5. In a glass tube cutting device of the character described, means to support a glass tube, said means comprising a disc having an axial openingv therein, two of the walls oi said opening converging, a third wall oi' said opening beingv opposed to the point o! convergence of said rst twowalls, an elongated housing supported in the 3 portion of said disc adjacent said third wallfsaid housing projecting into said opening and being longitudinally directed toward said point of convergence, means for adjustably mounting sa'd housing in said disc for movement toward and away from said pointA of convergence, and an acter described, means for supporting a `glasstube. said meanscomprising a disc having an axial opening therein, two of the walls of said opening converging, a. third wall of said opening being opposed to the point of convergence of said rst two walls, an open-ended exteriorly threaded elongated housing threadably mounted in the portion of said disc adjacent said third wall for movement to and away from said glass tube, said housing projecting into said disc opening and being longitudinally directed toward said point of convergence, a plunger slidably mounted in said housing for movement to and away from said glass tube, one end of said plunger projecting through the open end of said housing disposed in said disc opening, the other `end of said housing being closed by a cap threadably received thereon, a spring compressed between said cap and said plunger whereby to urge said plunger resiliently toward said glass tube, and an abrasive i 

